This settlement began around 1750 with the construction of a dam and lumber mill on the Assabet River. The area was originally known as Randall's Mills. In 1813, the Rock Bottom Cotton & Woolen Company built a wood-framed textile mill at Randall's Mills and the emerging village and new post office became known as Rock Bottom. The current five-story brick mill building was built in 1854 after the original wooden building burned. The name of the village was changed to Gleasondale in 1898. Today, Gleasondale has a few residential buildings, plus a small industrial complex in the old mill buildings. It does not have a large enough population to support a post office, and uses the same zip code as Stow, 01775. The dam remains, even though it no longer provides hydropower.